1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a composite structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
An auto exterior part, such as a fender or a roof of an automobile, is generally formed of a metal plate of steel or the like. It has been studied to make the metal plate thinner and lighter so as to improve fuel efficiency and reduce production cost.
However, making the metal plate thinner may fail to provide required stiffness. A possible preventive measure is to reinforce the metal plate by providing one surface thereof with a ribbed reinforcing member, which is made of a thermoplastic resin, thereby producing a composite structure to secure the stiffness of the metal plate.
As a manufacturing method for the composite structure, there has conventionally been known a method for pressing a ribbed reinforcing member, which is made of a thermoplastic resin, against a surface of a metal plate that has been heated by a heating apparatus. According to the manufacturing method, the heated metal plate is conveyed to a rib forming and pressing apparatus by a transfer robot, and the ribbed reinforcing member formed of a molten resin extruded from the rib forming and pressing apparatus is pressed against the surface of the metal plate by a pressing roller (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-16275).
According to the conventional manufacturing method, however, the ribbed reinforcing member molded from the molten resin is pressed against the metal plate by the pressing roller to form the composite structure, so that the molding mechanism inconveniently becomes complicated, depending on the shape of the reinforcing member. In addition, the ribbed reinforcing member has to be cooled and solidified, thus inconveniently slowing down the speed of forming the composite structure.
Further, in the conventional manufacturing method, the temperature of the heated metal plate decreases during the conveyance by the transfer robot, inconveniently leading to the occurrence of defective welding of the ribbed reinforcing member in some cases.